


Stay The Night

by rebelicious



Series: Skyeward [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Jossverse
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-26
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2018-03-20 20:31:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3663984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelicious/pseuds/rebelicious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye (just Skye), is a lonely hacker living out of the back of her van, determined to uncover the secrets hidden in Sunnydale. Grant Ward is a new transfer, on loan to secret op known as The Initiative, from SHIELD. Both still struggling to put their traumatic pasts behind them, they've found diverging paths to their survival but when the two bump into each other in cyberspace, the connection is immediate (and we don't mean the wi-fi). Before the day is done, they've made a date but when neither can wait that long, they meet for a midnight coffee where secrets are revealed and these two lone wolves find a way to meet in the middle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay The Night

**Author's Note:**

> Extension of a Twitter-Based, Modern-Day Buffy/Angel/Whedonverse RP where Skye (the hacker) and Ward (transferred by SHIELD to help out The Initiative) meet via Twitter.
> 
> Repost because I'm an idiot and deleted the first one.

She parked her van in an alleyway behind an apartment building across the street from the only all-night diner Sunnydale had to offer - a bit of a dive to be fair, but the coffee was good, waiting for his Tweet confirming his arrival. It wasn't so much that she wanted to lie to him, she didn't, but telling him she'd lived in the back of her van for the better part of the last two years wasn't high on her priority list either. Her usual crowd of fellow hackers and slackers found it rebellious and endearing – he was anything but ordinary though and she doubted he'd feel the same. She bit her lip nervously when her phone buzzed, alerting her to his Tweet. “Showtime” she muttered to herself and climbed out of the van. This was crazy, she knew it, and even after she'd suggested it, she considered backing out. Her mind yo-yo-ing between 'this is insane' and 'this is too good to be true'. We've all heard the horror stories, right – girl meets boy online, boy turns out to be psychotic serial killer, girl gets gutted with a plastic spoon. And yet here she was, jumping a fence while still hidden in the shadows so she could walk out the front gate as if she lived there, the 'what if's' that would haunt her if she let this moment slip far more convincing than the at least somewhat rational doubts.

She couldn't help but chuckle as she stepped into the dim glow provided by the street lights, watching him nervously scan the empty road until he spotted her. It felt strange that he seemed genuinely worried, it wasn't something she was accustomed to – when she'd made her decision to run and erase her previous identity from existence (you would too if your name was Mary Sue Potts) she knew she was giving up that luxury. She didn't resent it though, on the contrary, it only drew her to him more. She waved while jogging across the street towards him, slowing her pace once she made it to the other side. “See.” she smiled as she approached him, putting her hands up like she was celebrating a small victory “safe and sound.”

“Yeah well,” he grumbled a bit as he gave a final stoic look in both directions before letting his gaze settle on her as she stood in front of him, the firm frown melting into that smile he'd shown her during their photo swap. “better safe than sorry, right?”

There was a moment of somewhat awkward silence as they both shifted around on their feet, each trying to discreetly eye the other up. He'd made a good choice with the t-shirt. That was for certain.

“Hi” he laughed finally, extending his hand almost sardonically. “I'm Grant Ward, pleasure to meet you.” he added, his grin just as cocky as she'd imagined it would be.

She blinked but then burst out laughing. “Hi” Introductions seemed far too late and yet necessary – they never had officially done so. “Skye” she nodded, reaching to take his hand “Just Skye” she continued, warmth engulfing her hand as it disappeared into his. “Pleasure is all mine.” she grinned flirtatiously, figuring they were past pretending they weren't. “Shall we?” she asked, gesturing to the door of the diner with her free hand, neither seeming eager to let go of the other.

“Oh we shall.” he teased, hesitating for a final moment before releasing her hand so he could pull the door open and wave her in ahead of him.

The diner was nearly empty aside from one waitress with hair straight out of 1984, a cook that looked as if he ate more than he served, and a few scattered patrons who barely even looked up as the walked in. She immediately spotted a booth by the front window, far enough away from the others that they could talk without being overheard without hiding in the back so the waitress could forget their refills.

The conversation started slow, mostly general pleasantries that you might exchange with anyone who passed you on the street, but neither seemed willing or able to pull their eyes away from the other, even when the chubby waitress appeared at the end of their table, coffee pot and mugs in hand. They both nodded and waited until she'd retreated before speaking again and by the time they'd taken their first sips, the flow they'd established online picked up naturally. Bouncing between overly gushing compliments that tried to sound casual (saving their more blatant flirting for the ongoing tweetfest they maintained while they chatted) and playful jabs, it wasn't long before a burst of laughter drew the attention of the other customers who she'd almost forgotten existed, she was so caught up in him.

The sudden reminder that they weren't alone prompted him to suggest they take a walk, to which she eagerly agreed. He tossed a few bills on the table to cover their tab and together they set out aimlessly through the dimly lit streets, no real destination in mind but their hands finding each others before long, fingers lacing together as if they'd always belonged there. Alone for real, their conversation took on a more serious tone, both having hinted at their histories online but she opened up a bit about her time in the orphanage and foster homes, admitting she'd run away as teen, deciding she was better off on her own. She left out significant parts she wasn't ready to share, mostly how she'd managed to hack government systems to change her name, but so did he. He talked about his abusive brother, something she could tell even without him saying he hadn't done often, if ever, but it was obvious he'd barely scratched the surface.

She paused at a crosswalk even though there wasn't a vehicle in sight, tilting her head to look up at him “I'm sorry.” she said empathically, though his desire for command and control was beginning to make sense to her.

“Ah, don't worry about me.” he assured her “I do ok.” stepping in front of her and releasing his hold on her hand so he could slip his around to the small of her back and tug her closer, his opposite hand brushing a stray hair back from her face he looked down at her “If I kiss you right now are you going to slap me?”

They both knew the answer to that question but she felt inclined to shake her head as she craned her neck to meet his gaze. “I'd say you're doing more than ok.” she muttered as he brought his lips to hers, teasingly letting them linger as close as he could without actually making contact, waiting until her hand slid around to the back of his neck before pressing their mouths together softly. Her fingers sank into his hairline when he pulled her tight against him, their tongues growing more eager as the kiss heated up, confirming what they already knew before they'd shown up at the diner.

His grip didn't loosen when they finally came up from air and she let her eyes remain closed as their lips pulled apart, savoring the remnants of their first kiss. She could feel his eyes on her though and she didn't need to open them to know where this was headed. She hesitated though – this was it. This was the moment she'd both dreaded and anticipated. The moment where she would have to let him see the real her fully or risk pushing him away.

He leaned his forehead against hers and she could feel his heart beating as fast as hers was. “Should we...” he started, his voice husky while he too tried to catch his breath. He stopped though and she knew what he was doing.

She finally opened her eyes, lifting her hand to rest against his cheek and letting her finger graze lightly over his lower lip “Find somewhere more private?” she asked rhetorically, taking one last deep breath before succumbing to desire and nodding her head once as she dropped her hand to take his again. “Don't say I didn't warn you though” she whispered as her fingers slipped into place between his and she stepped back, turning back towards the direction they'd come.

Skye wasn't naive. She was savvy and she was smart and she wasn't easily swayed by the typical charms men directed her way when they wanted something from her. In fact, she didn't let most get close enough to even try. And yet, this man next to her had managed to get more from her in twenty four hours than most did in months. If ever. She'd be lying if she said that didn't scare her a little, but in the way your first day of school scares you, a decided mixture of fear and anticipation and excitement, like anything could happen if you just let it. And she wanted to let it – she wanted to see where this could go. Needed to. Which made the decision easier – it'd go no where unless she took a risk and that frightened her even more.

He looked a little confused when she pushed open the gate and headed around to the side of the building “Something the matter with the front door?” he asked to her back.

“Can't get to my place from there” she answered cryptically, not looking back at him but rather continuing determinedly on her path. If she let herself stop, she might reconsider and this could all come to abrupt halt.

“Seriously, Skye.” his voice actually sounded a little strained as he watched her climb over the fence “Where are you taking me?”

Stopping at the top, she looked back at him and gave a weak smile, self-consciousness and old feeling of inadequacy threatening to overwhelm her. “Just...just trust me, ok?” she asked, gesturing for him to follow before jumping down to the other side.

She could see him hesitate through the broken pieces of wood and for a moment she thought it might be him who changed his mind, but before she could sputter out an 'It's OK', he hoisted himself up, jumping the fence in what seemed like a single bound.

“Whoa” she chuckled, unsuccessfully masking her relief before turning around, arms spread to present her home in the cheeriest way she could. “Here it is.” she looked at him sideways, trying to gauge his reaction as she smiled and shrugged one shoulder “I told ya...”

He didn't do a very good job of hiding his surprise, his eyes darting back and forth between her and the old blue beast “Wait” he said in disbelief “You live here? Why, I mean...”

She shifted uncomfortably on her feet, beginning to regret her decision to bring him here. “Uh well” she stammered “my er...job doesn't exactly pay alot” Or anything she added in her mind “and what I do get goes to equipment and such. It's not so bad, really. I have everything I need.” she explained, pulling open the back doors, more than anything regretting not taking a few minutes to tidy up before she'd left.

She hated that she couldn't read what he was thinking, but he'd managed to regain control and his expression gave nothing away. Just a blank stare that shifted between her and the open space filled with blankets and pillows, random computer parts and a small cooler that served as her refrigerator.

Time seemed to freeze and what was barely ninety seconds felt like an eternity before he finally turned to her, a cheeky grin forming on his lips as he reached for her arm, pulling her right back against him as if nothing had happened between the kiss and now “You're fucking crazy” he growled against her neck while lifting her off the ground and carrying her towards the open doors.

“Hey,” she giggled, the sound so unfamiliar to her that it almost scared her “you're the one that hit on me” she teased, her hand gripping the front of his Ramones t-shirt and pulling him over top of her as he laid her back on the floor of the van with one arm, pulling the van doors shut behind them with the other.


End file.
